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05-06-1968 - Regular Meeting - Minutes0 MINUTES OF THE ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA MAY 6, 1968. The adjourned regular meeting of the City Council was called to order by Mayor Gleckman at 8 p.m., in the West Covina City Hall. The Pledge of Allegiance ' was led by Councilman Lloyd. ROLL CALL Present-. Mayor Gleckman; Councilmen Chappell, Nichols, Gillum,. Lloyd. Also Present: George Piassa, City Manager Lela •Preston,. City Clerk John D. Stiles, President - Chamber of Commerce Phil Wax, First Vice -President - Chamber of Commerce Ben Cooper, Second Vice -President Chamber of Commerce J. Chris Tambe, Manager - Chamber of Commerce • PENDING LEGISLATION Mr.. Aiassa. I talked to Mr.. Bud Carpenter, Executive Director of the League of California Cities in Sacramento, and these two bills are of some concern, also Senate Bill 499, this is where it separates employer and employees and they recommend we lodge a protest with our Senators Mr.. Song and Mr. Richardson. Also Assembly Bill 299 is the Firefighters bi11- Item 6, Page 3 of the report. We also want to go into the Brown Act, which has been a constant thorn in the council's side in all cities represented by the League, and they want to fight this matter. So if the Council has no objection I will send the normal standard comments from the Council to our legislators and especially those on the important committees. So moved by Councilman Lloyd, seconded by Councilman Chappell. Councilman Chappell. This appears to have taken place on May 1 - the hearing ? Mr. Aia s sa. There are two. The hearing will go on for sometime. The main thing is that we contact our legislative representatives so that all the cities will have their 0 legislators concentrating on it. Councilman Chappell. Did No. 717 come out of Committee? Mayor Gleckman. It came out of Committee and that is why they are asking that we contact the Senators regarding that particular bil In fact AB 2 02 was reported at the League of California Cities meeting as having passed the Assembly.. They don't believe it will pass the Senate. The League is vehemently against it and I think we should go on record as against SB 717, AB 202, SB 499 and AB299 as recommended - 1 - ADJ. REG. C.C. - 5-6-68 Page Two PENDING LEGISLATION - Continued in the report and that is the motion that has been made and seconded. All in favor so signify? Motion carried, all were in favor. POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT OPEN HOUSE Mav ll„. 1968 - 10 A.M. Mayor Gleckmane This is just a reminder of the Police and Fire Open House. Mr. Aiassa. We have combined the two Public Safety Agencies to have their Open. House together and we would like to have as many Councilmen present as is possible. Mayor Gleckmane Is there any of the Council that can't attend the Saturday Open House? None. We will then all be there. Mr, Aiassao I would also like to extend the invitation to the Chamber of Commerce, their members and officers. MAYOR'S REPORTS • PROCLAMATION NATIONAL FIRE SERVICE DAY Mayor Gleckmane If there is no objection by Council, the Mayor will so proclaim. No objection. COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION MEETING OF 5/2/68 Councilman Nichols: The Human Relations Commission met on May 2, 1968, and discussed the information that had come to them concerning the thought that they should enter into the area of the various problems on narcotics prevention and education in the community, and the initial comment made before any discussion ensued was that by the Chairman, that upon reading the original Resolution adopted by the Council that it was apparent; in their opinion that the Resolution did not authorize them to go into this area. Chairman Mansell made this point and it was concurred in by Commissioner Shrader® and then discussion ensued.. It was the consensus of the Human. Relations members • present that they did desire to comply with the Council's request but thought there should be some clarification of their desire to work in that area. One of the Commission members, suggested that they write a letter to the Council conveying their feelings about it. At that point I was asked my own opinion. I stated I could only speak for myself, and that I certainly felt it would be entirely in order if they worked in the area of narcotics, but I felt the Council should look at the original Resolution first. Some discussion as to - 2 - ADJ. REG. C.C. - 5-6-68 Page Three COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS Human Relations. Commission Meeting 5-2-68 - Continued whether any activities of theirs should incorporate a modification of the Resolution itself on activities in addition to their normally constituted functions, and there was some concern expressed in that area. . At that point the question was raised as to how •long it would take the Council to respond to their. request. . Someone else mentioned there had been suggestions for certain types of activities that would in fact be delayed unnecessarily if there were inordinate delay in getting a response from Council. I suggested that perhaps they might like to communicate more directly with the Mayor, and have the Council polled in a request to an earlier meeting, which had been their initial request to meet with the Council. At the conclusion of that meeting the Human Relations. Commission voted unanimously to direct their Chairman to communicate with the Mayor to see about the possibility of meeting soon with the Council and seeing what the Council might have in relation to this charge by the Mayor. That was significantly what went on at that meeting Mayor Gleckman: Is there any discussion regarding 'this meeting with the Human Relations Commission? I would just like to add that I have been contacted by the Chairman, and she requested a meeting. . I suggested that two of the Councilmen meet with that Commission in order for it not to be an adjourned meeting of this body. . I would only say I feel very strongly about them entering into this particular field and if it is by the will of this Council that they shall do so, I believe we should direct the City Attorney to so design an amendment of some type to the Resolution of the Human Relations Commission in order for them to proceed in any phase that has to do with human relations in order for them to be of service in all phases of human relaticns in this • community. Now that is my feeling ; I would like to have some discussion from the rest of. the Council Councilman Gillum: I think I stated earlier that I felt that the area which has been presented to the Human Relations. Commission does deal with human relations within our community. What does concern me is the possibility with these Commissions that everytime we run into an area that would appear not to be covered by their Resolution that formed these Commissions - are we going to add on to their responsibilities by an official act of this Council, or is it possible to, under the existing resolution for this Council to direct them to investigate this area? I strongly believe that narcotics and the problems caused by narcotics in our community is definitely in the human relations field. I hate to see this Council get into an area when these problems come up, with. the full consent of the Council that we couldn't direct a Commission without rewriting the Resolution or Ordinance. I feel it covers it completely and I hate to see us get into the area of having to rewrite this,everytime something came up that we felt didn't quite fall into the general description. Councilman Chappell: Has anyone discussed this with the City Attorney, if we can do this without changing the format of our direction? Mr. Aiassa: We are discussing it with the City Attorney this • coming Wednesday. Councilman Chappell: I would like to go on record that we have them take this responsibility regardless of how we do it. Councilman Nichols: I would like to share the benefit of my own thinking on this matter,- All of us are aware of the original basis for the establi hment of the Human Relations Commission. - 3 - ADJ. Co Co 5-6-68 Page Four COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS Human Relations Commission Meeting 5-2-68 - Continued Its basic function having been and remaining a function of working in the area of -minority groups and inter -racial problems in the community. . I would be very .reticent, personally, to see any action taken by the Council to change the basic area of responsibility and the basic thrust of the Commission, I think at all times its orientation should rightfully be in that area. There are times, however, when matters of great concern in the community arise and where members of this Commission might play a very helpful role, and truthfully the area you suggested is one such area. I would hope to see the Council go beyond the normal framework of the -working relationship of this body, that is,subscribing both to the limitations and qualifications of the Resolution itself, that the Commission simply be asked as a Commission by this Council, to tackle a particular job without feeling that we need to have this Commission in this way operate within the same framework. What I am trying to say, and I am probably not making myself very clear, .is that the entire Resolution that constituted the Commission for action hinged around the needs and requirements of the function in the human relations area The entire Resolution is not pertinent to, or really suitable to guide a Commission in terms of guidelines. They are operating beyond this area. The Resolution limits the Commission except through direct authorization of authority of the Council to act beyond that, -and in terms of. that Resolution I would personally not only not like to see the Resolution changed, but I would definitely think it should remain as it is. 1: would see nothing prohibiting about the Council on those occasions when the Council sees fit, giving the Commission some additional tasks that would really not relate to the format or procedures they would follow in handling the area of human relations concern, but simply because these are five able people who are working for us and the City in this area, and therefore we ask them as our agents to go out in the community and perform a certain services And although they would be named as a Human Relations Commission, theywould neither be restricted by the limits of that Resolution nor would they question within their own minds in every action - does this stay with the intent of the Resolution per se My hope, Mr. Mayor, would be pure and simply that the Council would authorize this Commission as a body, to serve the Council in an additional area, but not related to its basic function as a Human Relations Commission, . I believe it would unnecessarily relate it by trying to modify or change a basic Resolution of authorization, Mayor Gleckman; Councilman Nichols - I appreciate the thought and effort you have given to this because primarily this was the original intent of the charge - - was that within the confines of the make-up of the Human Relations Commission that they could take this responsibility without having to change the rules or the restrictions which involve this Commission and rightfully so it was brought up by you that you didn't feel they could operate in this manner under its present make-up unless we changed the original intent or unless we as a Council would charge them with this responsibility. . So to me it is 6 .of brae and bn.e half dozen of another. The main thing is to get the show on the road, and in the •expediency of time I would go along with your suggestion and request that this Council as a body request the'Human Relations Commission to handle this particular situation as proposed by myself and give them the authority to deal with such matters without them going through the legal technicality of changing the original Resolution that makes the human relations concept a Commission. Councilman Nichols. Well Mr, Mayor, I don't intend in any sense to get into a situation where I say - see I was right, or see you were right - - 4 - ADJ. C.C. 5-6-68 Page Five COUNCIL -COMMITTEE REPORTS Human Relations Commission Meeting 5-2-68 Continued or I am wrong, or that sort of thing at all, but I still have not conveyed my thinking Originally when you indicated that you were going to charge the Human Relations Commission with an area of responsibility with the concurrence of the Council - - now the Human Relations Commission total actions have been limited to its procedures, have literally been limited to a framework established by an adopted Resolutirn,'wmhich says that, for instance, any complaint brought before the Human Relations Commission must be in writing and must follow a certain format. My thought was that if the concept is to have the problem of narcotics in our community become a part of the basic responsibility, an on -going responsibility of the Human Relations Commission, that the Resolution as it is structured doesn't provide the framework needed for an entirely different field. On the other hand if we want to ask the Commission to disregard the Resolution as it applies to their basic operation and go into a new field entirely removed from their basic charge, then it is a different ball game altogether. But if we say to them take this on as one of your longterm ongoing forever responsibilities then we have to look at the Resolution and modify it in such a way as to enable them to be able to do that. Councilman. Lloyd- Could I ask Councilman Nichols a question.. If these people do not take this on how would you set it up? Or do you think this should be modified? In other words if they don't take on the narcotics problem who would take it on and how should we constitute it if they should take it on? • Mayor Gleckman.- Let me answer that. First of all I think you are asking Councilman. Nichols a question which is a little bit unfair, since I was the one that brought it up in the first place, as to requesting a Commission already set up by the governing body of this community, to act as a catalyst in handling this situation, I, at the time told them if they felt this was out of their realm that I could very well appoint a Mayor's Committee to do such a task in our community, but that I felt since the lack of complaints before them regarding the ethnic and racial problems in our community, that this would be one area in which they could take upon themselves and act as the catalyst until such time that they would become more active in the original intent of the original Resolution set up for the Commission. So in effect I have done exactly what Councilman Nichols is suggesting, except did not probably clarify it to this Council, when .I brought it to the Council. Is that correct... . Councilman Nichols.- That is correct. Again I at no time intended to raise an issue in the terms of this groups validity in helping us, but only in the terms of the fact that everything the Commission does must relate to its charge for its legal authorization for action. Mayor Gleckman. And again I don't want to give the impression that I in any manner, shape or form, was even considering watering down or dissolving the Human Relations Commission in its original charge, because I think this is a necessary and vital concern of our community - a Human Relations Commission, which will probably in • the next ten years have as much responsibility as the Council itself, in dealing with our community. Councilman Nichols. I would move that the Council request the Human Relations Commission to serve as a Mayor's Committee , independently of its original authorizing Resolution, in community service wherever such service can be helpful toward education relative to the narcotics problem prevalent in our community. - 5 - ADJ. C.C. 5-6-68 Page Six COUNCIL 'COMMITTEE REPORTS Human Relations Commission Meeting - 5-2-68 - Continued Mayor Gleckman-. Can I soften the amendment before it is seconded to include the word "action and education"? Councilman Nichols: By all means - yes Motion seconded by Councilman. Lloyd Councilman Gillum-, I have to say that I disagree with Mr Nichols about the original Resolution. I still feel it covers and gives them the responsibility of investigating this whether it is upon the direction of the Mayor or on their own, I will support your motion Councilman Nichols, but I think these people have an obligation , it is a Human Relations problem whether it be narcotics or housing or anything of that sort it affects the community. I am concerned that this Council or future Councils are ,going to have to direct this Commission when I feel in many areas they should take on these activities themselves and in fact generate these programs. As I said I will support your motion because I feel this is what is probably needed to get it off the ground, but I would like to see the Human Relations Commission themselves generate some of these activities Mayor Gleckman-, May I say that this will get the ball rolling and Mr. Aiassa, at some future date will you put this item on our agenda - the problem of the Resolution, for Council discussion. , We have a motion made and seconded, all those in favor please signify? Motion carried, all are in favor. The Council.will then so direct the Human Relations Commission and if you will pass that information on to the Human Relations Commission in order to get started. I will set up the meeting for the Human Relations Commission, Councilman Chappell and myself, a luncheon meeting. (Mr. Aiassa advised that if there were to be full attendance by the Commission it would be necessary to post it as a meeting.°) Mayor Gleckman-, Alright, we will have two members of the Human Relations Commission present and two of the Council. A luncheon meeting on May 13tha Councilman Nichols-, My other comment is mostly to the attention of Mr. Aiassa and seeking concurrence of the Council. For the past four years I have received copies of the Municipal Code amendments and about two and a half years back I became neglectful and failed to insert the amendments. My code book is now away out of date and it has 'led me to believe that this could possibly be true of the other Councilmen's books. . It seems to me if there was one code book kept in the Council office plus our good right arm, the Council assistant who is always available to advise us, that this would meet my •needs in terms of having up to date information, and it would save additional clerical time and materials. My suggestion is that this might be done, a current code copy be available at all times in the Council Chambers and Ray Windsor or Harry Peacock act as reference centers otherwise, rather than send the material changes out to all five councilmen all the time. . Is there any concurrence in that? Mayor Gleckman-, I don't have any objection. Councilman Gillum. I don't have any objection to it. - 6 - ADJ. C.C. 5-6-68 Page Seven COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS - Continued Mr. Aiassa, I would like to advise Council that we are redoing this whole Code System, so what we now have will be obsolete in a matter of months. . - Mayor Gleckman, Let's handle this at staff level - Mr.. Aiassa. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE QUARTERLY REPORT Mayor Gleckman- At this time we will take up the Chamber of Commerce presentation of the Quarterly Report. John D. Stiles We have '�in the past reported rather voluminously to the President Council as to the activities of the West Covina Chamber of Chamber of Commerce Commerce. As a prelude this evening we felt we had a very enjoyable time, meeting informally with the Council and no business was discussed, . In reporting in the past we have gone into detail at much cost and effort to the staff to attempt to inform the Council of the activity of the Chamber. We are going to attempt this time to make a verbal report and we have submitted for your review an outline of the basic activities that the Chamber has performed. Some of you will recall that in the past we have had and still do have, large numbers of Committees which function on a year round basis. This year we went into three basic areas which threw the • three Vice -Presidents in charge of these areas and as your outline indicates they are, Community Development; Public Affairs and Organizational Affairs; and under them then would be the. Standing Committees that normally work the year around. It was the intent that we would then through these Committees produce the Committees needed for a specific task at hand, they then would complete their job, complete the report and be disbanded, although continue to be active in Chamber work. We have now concluded through March 31, the inception of this idea and its effectiveness which you will determine. We are moving forward without regard for what has transpired in the past and are asking our three basic officers who handle this to report to you verbally tonight, amplifying what is in the report. Phil Wax I would like to precede my report with an article. I took First Vice President from the Tribune, dated April 24, titled "Guard Chamber of Commerce Against Ghost Towns. " (Read Article.) I think COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT this is a very fine article and certainly shows that the newspapers are aware of the needs of the community and we would get full support in the work we are doing. Our Commercial Committee at this time because of the activity by the City and its professional staff as well as Williams, Cook & Mocine, at this time we cannot work on some programs that we feel are most • important to us but we are certainly observing and sitting in on as many of the meetings made available to us in defining the needs and work programs that will come out of it. The Commercial Committee has met and worked on a fan -out bad check system, and it has made good progress and by the next meeting we will have a definite program developed. The Brokerage Office is another task force area we serve. Mr.. Bernie Bregman is our Committee Chairman, and he is trying to make - 7 - ADJ. C.C. 5-6-68 Page Eight CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESENTATION - Continued contacts in some of the places that will help to bring in this type of facility. Also checking the areas that have floor space and are asking us to develop such communication. The Community Services Building - direct contact was made and several meetings were held plus a meeting with the city staff in an area that we feel might develop into the area that would best set up a building, and I think in the very near future we will have a definite answer as to whether it would be approved by the specific area we have in mind. The General Plan Revision - again because of the City staff and the professional staff, we are just sitting back and observing if there is any place that we can be of help and if there is we will certainly meet and assist. Huntington Beach Freeway - this report was made to the Council with a recommendation and we are again waiting for the City's decision as to an adoption of a plan so we can pursue this outside of our own City with other cities so we would have mutual agreement as to alignment. . The Minibus - former Mayor Krieger and Councilman Gillum attended a meeting at the factory and we did quite a bit of research. There are now feasibility studies being made by an organization that would possibly come in and operate a bus system throughout the City. On the Transportation Center - it was requested of • Williams, Cook & Mocine, to pick several locations so if we do not have success in one area because of any involvement, it would give us the opportunity to pursue other areas. This they have promised to do and we are keeping in close contact. At this time this is all I can report on the eight Committees that we have working Mayor Gleckman: Are there any questions of Mr. Wax? Councilman Gillum. I have a comment. . I think Mr. Wax you were here the evening the Planning Commission reviewed the program for the development of the shopping center, and I am sure you heard many of the comments opposing it, because I think of a lack of understanding of what the City is trying to do. I assume from what you have said the Chamber will play an active part in getting this idea across so that all merchants in the area will understand the complete program. . I think basically it was a lack of knowledge on their part and I believe the Chamber of Commerce could give a great service to the City and community in getting this program across. Mayor Gleckman. Any other comments or questions? Thank you, Mr. Wax. Mr.. Stiles. In this area, Councilman Gillum, I think as you can • imagine, the rug to my office has been beaten down. I think it is going to call for not only good public relations on the Chamber's part, but the Council and Planning Commission, to clear up the misconceptions. . Because at this point the property owners will lose their property for roughly $2 . a foot and someone will get $ 8 . a foot - and this of course does not make any sense. Also I am certain the Council realizes when Mr. Wax talks of these 8 committees and the other Committees that will be discussed, that this is the volunteer work of many, many people in the community. These are the people that are interested in doing the things that the - 8 - ADJ. C.C. 5-6-68 Page Nine CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESENTATION - Continued Chamber should do in a community to make it more attractive to live in and more productive for all. Also, as you may well be aware the staff of the Chamber has hee) reduced and is now operating solely with Chris Tambe to do all these jobs. We are not professionals and don't intend to be, we only support those things of value to our City, I would like to feel that Mr. Tambe will interject his comments as each Committee report is given from the standpoint of staff and as the Chamber's Executive Manager. Chris 'Tambe One point I would like to bring to the attention of Manager the Council is with regard to the Minibus. I think it Chamber of Commerce would be of interest to all of the councilmen and probably particularly the new council members, that on the occasion of the field trip of February 20th when we visited the plant we were advised by a representative of the Minibus that there was a, business concern operating Minibus units in a particular area and that they just might be interested in operating similar units in West Covina on a private enterprise basis. Of course, while it was all very informal there were present people including a couple of Councilmen who were rather taken with this prospect... So I proceeded to follow this and arranged a meeting with the Minibus people and the other firm.. I can now divulge the name of the concern - the Airport Transit Company, which currently has and have a number of years been operating a Minibus at the International Airport, and also the so-called limousine service. Airport Transit is in turn owned by the Yellow Cab Company of California, the concern that has the cabs in San Diego, Long Beach, Los -Angeles and San Francisco.. That Company is in turn owned by the Westgate California Corporation. It is a legitimate business concern. We meet with the Vice -President of Airport Transit and he was quite enthused with the prospect of using West Covina as a pilot project for providing Minibus Service. . I provided him with all the information needed and I have a letter from the Vice - President dated April 1 which relates to our previous meetings. (Read Letter.) This alluded to the fact that the way we ended our first conference was that upon the Airport Transit manager determining that "yes" they would like to pursue this matter on a serious basis we would then hopefully engage in a joint study on the project with the Airport Transit Company, the Minibus concern and the Chamber of Commerce/ City, to conduct whatever studies are necessary and desirable as to whether we have something that could work on a private enterprise basis. We have not yet received from the Airport Transit Company that one ,statement that "yes" we want to pursue it on that basis. Bud Brooks I would like to report on the standing committees, under Third Vice -President Public Affairs. The Cultural & Education Committee Chamber of Commerce has been realigned for this yearn. Some of the activities PUBLIC AFFAIRS of the education portion of it now have been dropped into Task Force Committees. Also in the educational field we have had two meetings and we plan on holding 10 meetings for the year. The meeting presently held we tried to find an outline as to how we might be able to work with the school program in reference to a work experience program for the placement of certain students that might possibly be drop outs, but could still earn credits for on the job training. This of course will take two things. Great � deal of time and cooperation and funds. Again we are working through the Chamber and the Schools to help find jobs for boys that might be a problem with reference to education but still could be trained on the job. In the Cultural department this particular division last year was a great asset in some of the achievements they were able to bring forth. The next meeting will dwell on ideas to put forth something in the cultural field that could perhaps be a perpetual type of program year after year. Something like the Art Festival at Laguna Beach, or something that we could call - 9 - ADJ. C.C. 5-6-68 Page Ten CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESENTATION - Continued recognition and be allied to West Covina. Therefore we would like to find one item that would give us the annual recognition in the cultural department. The second standing committee would be our Fireworks Show, This is under the guidance of Mr.. Stan Mynar. The Fireworkrs Show is an annual event held at Mount SAC field. This is one of the largest fund raising events for the Chamber. It has year after year forged ahead in entertainment as well as attendance. We anticipate an even larger fireworks presentation this year than we have had in the past and hopefully we will sell more tickets and thereby gain more revenue. The Legislative Action Committee is under the chair of Bailey Kerr . We have had two meetings with this particular Committee. One on the property tax limitation legislation now pending. The purpose of this Committee is to merely analyze any legislation pertaining and involving the local community and therefore make recommendations to the appropriate person or persons to whom we feel we should make our viewpoints known In the category of Police and Fire Recognition awards this is under the chairmanship of Dr,. Harry Louie and as you are perhaps familiar with this new type of program we will say it has received fine recognition within the Departments as well as a good community project. -Those were the standing Committees. We also_have' 10�Task Force Committees as follows. AIRCADE, VIE DAY, Citizen of the.Year® Fourth of July, •Miss West Covina Contest,. New Teachers Reception, Practical Politics, Publicity Work Shops, Sacramento Trip, Understanding Economics. Those we would like to report on this evening are. 1 The Citizen of the Year affair which will be held this coming Saturday, the Ilth of May. It is our feeling that this will be one of the best attended Citizen of the Year banquets. The tickets are going quite well and we believe will be in excess of any year so far. This will be held at the Elks Club and the chairman for this Committee is Joanne Bergan. Tying in with the Fireworks Show is the Parade and this will be our second year in being active in regard to the Fourth of. July Parade. Mr, Walt Aiken is working hand and hand with the Committee in reference to the Fireworks Show and the parade group. The applications have been sent out soliciting participation. And in addition to the parade is the picnic to be held at the park which is something that has met with a great deal of community approva-1 and we hope it will be a growing community project each year. The last item to comment on is the Sacramento Trip which was held the 2 3rd of April, One of the Councilmen was Chairman of that particular project and those who attended commented on how strongly they appreciated the opportunity and what an eye opener it was. I believe we even extended our quota and picked up some of the other Cities obligations as far as the sale of tickets Also the Miss West Covina contest has been held • for quite a few years and in taking a look at this particular contest we have con- sidered the possibility of a merger between our contest and the Jaycees or the Junior Miss contest. If this can be feasibly worked out, this might give the Miss West Covina contestant a larger exposure. If in fact we could merge these two she then would be permitted to go not only to the area final contest but also the State and if fortunate to win the State she would then be eligible for the National. The requirements they have a nd we have set forth in the past, are not too far apart and we hope in the Fall to be able to complete the negotiations between the two and then start in with the two contests merging as one - 10 - ADJ.. C.C. 5-6-68 Page Eleven CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESENTATION —Continued Chris Tambe. Let me add a few comments regarding the Fireworks Show. Mr. Bregman commented that this event produced the greatest amount of revenue to the Chamber of Commerce, which is right. However, it should be noted that the Chamber's rationale for conducting this event is embodied in the contract the Chamber has with the City that sets forth the condition to conduct such an event on behalf of the community as a goodwill gesture. The fact that we show a paper profit after the event is over with, while it is nice to behold, doesn't really tell the whole story. If we were to charge to the event the staff time that actually is spent on that affair as well as other related costs, we would without doubt end up with a paper loss. The fact that we do end up with, when we are successful in doing so, with somewhat of a paper profit is due to the fact that staff time cannot be completely shown to this affair alone. Ben Cooper Under Organizational Affairs the first committee in Second Vice -President this category is the Membership Committee. We Chamber of Commerce are fortunate this year to have a chairwoman who ORGANIZATIONAL is extremely energetic and enthusiastic. 'She has AFFAIRS had a number of breakfast meetings with almost 100% attendance. This Committee has the following responsibilities. to seek and acquire new membership, keep the membership accounts current, and maintain a good relationship by visiting current accounts.. Also this Committee has made an effort this year to deliver in person the plaques which advertise that this particular business is a member of the Chamber of Commerce. This has given the Chamber members and the Committee a • opportunity for wide participation by a great number of persons. . Recently had a membership drive which was very -successful acquiring in one day 18 new members. This Committee is developing an invitation letter which is not yet firmed but I would like to read for you an outline to give you some idea of the feeling of this Committee. (Read letter outline.) This Committee is one of the strongest in the Chamber of Commerce and gives opportunity for specific participation probably than any other. Secondly, we have a Committee for Monthly Meetings. The Chairman is Mr. Jay Gammill, manager of the Columbia Savings and Loan Association. This Committee has the responsibility of planning and programing our Monthly Meetings. They are working on plans for meetings in the future to have a speaker from the Federal Reserve Bank; also planning a program designed for businessmen concerned with the program CEACE, which stands for Citizens Engaged in Anti -Crime Efforts. We are very concerned about these kind of problems in our community. . We feel that youth in our community is an important phase of our business relationship with the City. .Also for a future meeting we will plan a program on the Economic Conditions of the San Gabriel Valley to be presented by the First National Bank, It was felt that we might have the members of this Committee who arranged for the program to take the chair during that portion of the meeting which is concerned with the program of the day. The third Committee is the Public Relations Committee. This is chaired by Mr. George Wagner. . A review of the Chamber's plans for this Committee resulted in the appointment of the following subcommittees. Co-chairmen have been appointed to research the feasibility of establishing a West Covina Visitors Bureau, make a survey and recommendation; all the men bers of the Committee will continue to analyze on literature and publications distributed through the Chamber's office and in this respect it was agreed that copies of Chamber literature would be provided. Arrangements for the Planning, Designing and Construction of an exhibit to be entered in the Los Angeles County Fair is planned for the next meeting. This is probably one of the greatest potential advertising events for our community. Also this Committee has concerned itself with providing newspaper mats which can be used - 11 - ADJ. C.C. 5-6-68 Page Twelve CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESENTATION - Continued in connection with independent newspaper advertising, and because of possible repercussions or negative aspects, before anything firm will be acted upon, there will be further study in this field. There will be another meeting in May with regard to the presentations. Chris Tambe, Regarding the area of members. On several occasions Council has asked for specific information.. I am pleased to report for the period being reported here tonight, that in the same period in 1967 we had 332 membership accounts whose subscription to the Chamber were valued at $ 17, 682. . This year for the same period we have 357 accounts with subscription valued at $20, 104. There were a couple of other items under Organiza- tional affairs which I told Mr. Cooper I would be happy to report on in as much as they were pretty much reference resource information.. In the area of monthly meetings, as you know we have had in the period being reported on - three meetings. (Explained in detail the program of each meeting. .) Also the Installation Dinner is noted on your outline, and that event was held in January and we raised rather a large attendance some 206 persons attending. John. Stiles, One of the areas of concern to all of us has been how do we bring the residents into being more concerned with their community and perhaps that vehicle has been found. Under Phil Wax's concern - one of his many tasks is the Residential Division. I might read this from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune of April 4th. (Read article.) • Phil Wax, The only comment I would like to make is in the selection of the officials I would like to call attention to the Council, it was especially gratifying to see a large area of all of the City including the Galaxie people. This is good because we like to see a cross section of the people represented with regards to the needs of the community. John Stiles, I think you should add that they have their own by- laws,which are very good, telling them how to operate and work in conjunction with the Chamber, but the Chamber is not controlling their activities, it's the vehicle. I hope that perhaps the indication of the work of the people has been indicated here, and also further that recognizing - and I have commented on this before, whatever Committee work is done has to be a focal point of what is brought together and put into shape for the Committees to work on - and this calls for staff work. Staff was reduced last year. We have operated with some volunteer help which basically is not adequate. You may say we can cut out some of these Committees but what can we do in place of these Committees? This all revolves around staff time. We had a tempcorary assistant that replaced the assistant that resigned but at the moment we do not have the assistant. de are not making any excuses or apologies. Time is of the essence in anything that we do and without glamour or undue lengthy • reporting, Mr. Tambe I think -you should give a short report on staff participation. Chris Tambe, In addition to the administrative support which the staff provides for all of the Committees reporting to you, we also in the subject period, responded to some 171 mail inquiries locating industry, visiting the community, etc. , in addition to the inquiries we made on phone and walk-in traffic and on which we keep no count. I participated in some twenty type conferences relating to 13 different subjects ranking from a high point of inability to accommodate an industrial firm that wanted and needed some 6 acres to construct and maintain an industrial park type facility down to relocating a restaurant fromlanother community into ours, where the ADJ. C.C. 5-6-68 Page Thi rteen CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESENTATION - Continued existing operation was not doing so well and we sought to accommodate both the community and the landlord of the existing facility and the third party who lived outside of the community. We scheduled participation by Chamber officers and City officials in some nine appearance activities. In the report period we spent a great deal of time in our annual participation Mobil Run which did not take place until • after the report period but all the presentation work was done in the period reported on. We have also worked very closely with City staff, particularly with Mr.. Fast in the course of arranging for upgrading the city maps. That project is one where the Chamber staff has provided the editorial composites and total layout as well as the complete project production coordination. We completed the publication and the area inventories in cooperation with the Edison Company, a copy of which you have. Some five hundred were given to us to distribute and this is quite a boon for us. You will recall the contract which the City Manager's.; staff, has worked on for a number of years - the Economic Factor of the Modern City, the Area Inventory is not intended to replace this but at the same time this project has not been updated for a number of reasons, I believe one of which is a budget problem, so we have the Edison publication to supplement that.. The arrangement is that the Edison Company on selected areas, which the Company serves, provides for the publication and the production of that work at no charge if the local Chamber does the research, the write in and the layout, and we did do that. We also had our first community -wide visiting activity. We scheduled a visit to the Forum in March. (Explained in detail) We also initiated the monthly Community Calendar, which you have a copy of before you. That project has been initiated and is being carried on with the cooperation of the West •Covina Coordinating Council, which helps to collect and sift out the bits of information, as well as the strong cooperation of the West Covina Women's Club, whose financial support helped get the project off the ground. There is one additional item that I have been involved in as Manager of the Chamber for a number of years and by oversight only have neglected to report to you. For some 4 years - judge Martin of Citrus Court asked me if I would cooperate with his Court in the course of conducting a new program for handling the misdemeanor cases that come before his Court, in a way to help the individual charged with the offense as well as the community in the whole benefiting, rather than placing the person in jail for a week or so and thereby costing the taxpayers money and a more traumatic effect on the individual, we call this the Probation Program. What happens is in these certain selected cases Judge Martin refers ,thes.e.individuals to me for subsequent assignment into a nonprofit area of service in the community. I have arranged for this kind of assignment with a couple of city departments - the Recreation & Parks Department and the City Yard. In addition we have an arrangement with the Queen of the Valley Hospital. . The arrangements are made on X number of hours or days that the individual must perform on behalf of the community under my direction and thereafter once the assignment is satisfactorily completed I notify the Court and the individual is off the hook.. In the period we have talked about here I coordinated some eleven of those assignments.. They run sporadically. Sometimes go for 6 weeks without any and then in one week the count is 5 or 6. It involves a interview with the person concerned, where I might assign them and the actual contact with the agency they are going to serve, and then a follow up to wind it up. That is all I have at this time to report on. John. Stiles. That concludes our report to the Council, we will be glad to answer any questions you might have. Mayor Gleckman. Thank you. I think that you and the Board of Directors have done an excellent job of reporting. I think this particular method is far superior to any method we have used in the past for communicating. Are there any questions by any member of the Council? - 13 - ADJ. Co Co 5-6-68 Page Fourteen CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESENTATION - Continued Councilman Nichols-. I have a question, What are you proposing. to do about the .loss of the Assistant? John Stiles-. That will be filled as soon as a qualified assistant can • be found, I think the thing we have to recognize here is that this becomes a problem budgetwise and that marry rriE;[1 must move ahead and upgrade themselves, although there is no indication that this will happen in this town, but it is conceivable as we watch men in this field and in other fields that ultimately we could lose a good Chamber manager. This then says we must hire and should hire a qualified assistant that ultimately showld move up if this should occur.. Now maybe I am planting seeds in Mr. Tambe°s mind but this is a problem in any profession, I am hopeful that we will find the proper man at the proper salary that in time should this happen that we will not be caught adrift without proper management. Councilman Gillum-. Let me say this to you - the Residential Division I think will serve the community quite well, but I have a question and I would like the Chamber to clarify this point, if possible. Mr. Wax mentioned many areas that are they are going to look: into, I would like to know the Chamber°s feeling, since we do have an organization mainly of homeowners in the City if at sometime in the future this organization is functioning well and there is a controversial issue that comes before this Council and the organization decides to take a stand opposed to our thinking, in opposition to this City°s stand, what would be the Chamber's role in the direction of this organization when it comes to using their organization as a lever force or persuasive group in this . community to try and change or convey or alter a decision possibly of the City Council? John. Stiles-. I think this is well covered in the by-laws and procedures of the Chamber. I will ask Mr. Tambe to answer this Chris Tambe-. I have answered that question some dozen times in the last week or two. The answer is quite simple.. The Residential Division does not exist as a separate entity, it is in fact a Residential Division of the West Covina Chamber of Commerce and is nothing more than that,This,Qn the.one hand,was a bone of contention with a number of the people that attended the meeting last week. A couple of chaps said what you are saying then is we really have no teeth. My answer was that on one hand you are right, but on the other hand you can have every bit as much teeth as you can convince the Chamber Board, because the by-laws of the Chamber as well as the by-laws of the Division provide that the by-laws themselves must be approved by the Chamber Board and from that the program of the Division must be approved by the Chamber Board, The Division is then via its by-laws represented on the Chamber Board by whoever its presiding officer is and the Division has no voice other than in the form of recommendations to the. Chamber Board of Directors in the same fashion that our regular committees have in the form of recommendations to the Board Councilman Gillum-. In other words what you are saying is that anything that came out of this Division would be sent through the Chamber and the recommendation would come to the Council through the. Chamber-. Chris Tambe-. Exactly, as a Chamber communication, We would probably identify it as emanating from the Residential Division but it would be a Chamber recommendation - 14 - ADJ. C.C. 5-6-68 Page Fifteen CHAMBER OF COMMERCE -PRESENTATION - Continued Mayor Gleckman-, Mr Stiles, are you anticipating getting together with the City Manager regarding the upcoming budget sessions 'With regard to the amount of money the Chamber will request from the Council? • John. Stiles -, Yes, very soon Mayor Gleckmano Might I remind you that we will hold budget sessions in June. Are there any other comments ? Councilman Chappell. I was glad to hear that the Chamber°s membership group is moving along. . They have passed the $20, 000 barrier, which has been a barrier for sometime and they are starting in the right direction Mayor Gleckmano On behalf of the members of the City Council I would like to thank you for dinner and for the excellent report. I think you as well as the Chamber manager and the Executive Board of Directors have more than fulfilled the prospects of this Council in doing the job in the manner you set forth to do and we are glad to receive and accept your report and wish you well in the future Motion by Councilman Gillum, seconded by Councilman Chappell, and carried, that City Council receive and file the quarterly report from the West Covina Chamber of Commerce • ------------- Councilman Gillum-, One thing I would like to present to Council - Mayor Gleckman and I attended the opening at Galaxie Saturday and I was quite impressed with the turn out and enthusiasm, and I suggested that we take this. Council out as we did in the past year and publicize it. I remember in the past we did hold a meeting in the Galaxie area in a school and we did have a fine turn out and I would like for the Council to give consideration before the end of the school year that we set up some type of an adjourned meeting in the Galaxie area and notify the residents. These people have a tremendous amount of pride and enthusiasm in that part of the City, and being un- fortunately separated from us we should make an effort to go down there and listen to some of their problems. Mr. Mayor, I would like to have some comments from my fellow councilmen along this line. Councilman, Lloyd-, I heartily concur. . I think this is part of the democratic office, I think this is an example which should be set and pursued with great vigor and enthusiasm. I think anything we can do to bring city government to the people of the city merits every possible attempt and I think we should pursue it. Councilman Nichols: The thought I have is Councilman Gillum°s statement in the terms of the timing. If it is possible as a thought - it is very difficult to actually publicize the Council°s appearance in an area of that sort. Some percentage of the people ordinarily obtain a newspaper and I would hope that we might actually mail into that area a notice of the meeting so that we might be sure that all are notified. Councilman Chappell-, It might be sent out with the school children, That works out very well in the community. Mayor Gleckman-, If we concur in that, we only have the 20th and the 3rd because it would have to be an adjourned meeting and on the 3rd 15 have an announcement honoring ADJ C Co 5 6-68 Page Sixteen CHAMBER.OF COMMERCE PRESENTATION-' Continued Principal Wooden retiring from the West Covina High. School and on the 20th - do we have a. meeting scheduled. Mr Aiassa? We would have enough time for notification. But Councilman.Gillum's request was to have the meeting prior to school ending. Mr,. Aiassa.o When.: will school be out Councilman Nichols? Councilman Nichols The school, would :be out the week before that, but Ithink'the-Very next week would be alright, little would. be changed. Mayor Gleckmano If there is, -no objection why don't we set it for June 17th with. notification sent to the residents in the Galaxie area and to the; press:that: the Council.. will meet at Hollingsworth' School., if available that evening.. So moved by Councilman Gillum, seconded by Councilman Chappell, and carried, John Stiles.* Mr...Mayor I think that Phil Wax and I should report to the;`Council as a matter of interest, the Krieger Snyder testimonial dinner. Perhaps indirectly .it might be said, thatit.is testimony to; the two. hardworking councilmen. Here are two men that have been active, on the: Co.unci.l for many years and as a result have been obviously subjected to much criticism'in, the way they have voted. You can't please • everyone But if it had been possible for us to.have had a hall to seat 350 we would have still: been oversold..; Many people';: as a` testimony to these two men, sent their check :and said they could not attend' but here is my contribution, and I think this is an excellent thing after years' of hard work and I .hope when you gentlemen have completed your turn that the citizens might permit the same sort of thing. This indicates the appreciation of the community to its leadership that is not always expressed. Mayor Glecklnane Thank you, we appreciate the remarks. Motion by.Councilman'Lloyd, seconded by Councilman Gillum, and carried, that there being no further business meeting adjourn at 9.30 p.m. APPROVED ATTEST - CITY CLERK